Finance Minister expects more US aid after Boeing purchase

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has called on the United States to increase its assistance to Bangladesh, arguing that the country’s commitments to purchase Boeing aircraft and import more American goods should be matched by greater support from Washington.

He made the remarks while briefing journalists on a meeting with the US Treasury Department on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday.

The discussions covered overall Bangladesh-US relations, including US assistance on debt management, the minister said.

He noted that Bangladesh was working to narrow the trade imbalance with the United States by increasing imports, including aircraft, oil, wheat, soybean and other consumer goods.

“We are going to buy so many Boeing aircraft. Imports of other products are also increasing. In that case, assistance should now come from their side,” he said, adding that the US side had agreed with the point.

“We raised the issue strongly at the meeting. We said, if assistance does not come now, when will it come?” he added.

Bangladesh recently signed agreements to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft in two phases as part of efforts to address trade and tariff pressures following US President Donald Trump’s trade measures last year.

Trump also congratulated the prime minister in a letter sent from the White House on August 31 over the decision to purchase Boeing aircraft, saying Boeing would not disappoint Bangladesh.

- MaT